Holding your breath

[AfterDark]

Bear in mind that I was a 'cold-water diver' for more than a decade before I abandoned that misery for the tropics

Given that the vast majority of divers do train in 'vacation locations'...and given that the vast majority of them only dive on vacations... it does make a compelling case for what the 'average' is. I don't want to get into a cold-water versus warm-water spiral... that's nonsense... but divers who do dive in their home location gain more experience and ingrain skills better due to the higher frequency of their diving. In that sense, they are probably much more skilled than the 'average'.

For perspective on 'average' - there's a single dive school (sausage factory) on Koh Tao, Thailand that certifies more students per year than the whole of PADI UK. I've heard it discussed that the dive shops on Koh Tao (a tiny 7km long island) had considered forming their own agency. Based on their annual certifications, it would have made them the second or third biggest certifying agency in the world (after PADI globally...and maybe SSI).



Do you tell your infant kids to 'never go with strangers'.... or do you sit them down for a few hours and impress upon them a matrix of decision-making criteria to identify which persons they may allow to lead them away?

We know that they will develop those criteria over time and with experience. However, we appreciate the benefits of an equivocal message in the interim.



Incorrect. Students aren't told to 'keep breathing'. They are told to 'never hold their breath'. That is why instructors emphasize the need to 'blow bubbles' whenever the regulator is removed from their mouths. Exhaling continually is not holding the breath...

Again... another good example of why a K.I.S.S. approach to critical safety matters can prevent harmful confusion. If even an experienced diver like AfterDark can get confused about such basic principles, then there is a strong argument for not over-complicating safety messages.

I don't disagree at all, except for the confusion part I'm not confused I just haven't been to a OW class in a 4 decades.

 

[Tortuga68]

But hey.... if you want to chance that someone might read your views and go try it out at a stage where they're still getting to grips with basic buoyancy skills... go for it champ...

Feel free to point out where I said anyone should hold their breath, pause respiration, open their glottis or anything else relevant for that matter. Oh wait, you can't because I didn't.

publically demonstrating the full breadth of your specialist knowledge and ability at each and every opportunity...

Funny, I think most people on this forum would say that describes you, not me